 James CarterİAndrea Canter “Carter’s ease with swing, bop and avant-garde styles also gave notice that a staggeringly inclusive figure—the apotheosis of the postmodern jazzman—was now among us.
--Steve Futterman, The Washington Post Perennial winner of critics and reader’s polls for his prowess on all things saxophone (and a few other wind instruments), James Carter has basked in the jazz limelight since his first recordings hit the streets in the mid 1990s. Celebrating ten years of collaboration, the James Carter Organ Trio breezes into the Dakota in downtown Minneapolis for one night only, July 29th. Joining Carter are fellow Detroit natives Gerard Gibbs on organ and Leonard King on drums.
A native of Detroit, James Carter’s family exposed him to a wide range of music, from Hendrix to P-Funk to Miles. Frustrated by the rigidity of band instruction in high school, Carter sought private lessons from local reedman (and current Twin Cities resident) Donald Washington, whom he now refers to as his “musical father.” Recalled Carter, “He said that you could have ideas up the wazoo, but if you don’t have a sound to convey these ideas and permeate the human soul, it’s like a tree falling in the forest with nobody to hear it.” Washington also introduced young Carter to the baritone sax. “Discovered” by Wynton Marsalis and Lester Bowie, Carter at 17 was playing with the Marsalis Quintet, later joining Bowie in his New Organ Ensemble in New York. From that point, Carter quickly rose to the forefront of young sax lions, playing with Julius Hemphill, Betty Carter, and with the Marsalis Big Band at Lincoln Center.  Leonard KingİAndrea Canter Not limited to wowing audiences with his sheer musical power, Carter played the role of Ben Webster in Robert Altman’s film, Kansas City, and has maintained a connection to classical music through tours with the Kathleen Battle and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Among many accolades and honors, James Carter was the recipient of the Dr. Alaine Locke Award from the Detroit Institute of Arts and Friends of African and African American Art for individuals who have provided exemplary service and leadership in the promotion of African American culture. Carter has been a multi-year winner or runner-up of Downbeat’s critics and readers polls as Baritone Saxophonist of the Year, a title also given to him in 2011 by the Jazz Journalists Association.  Gerard GibbsİAndrea Canter Drummer Leonard King, a Detroit native who now resides in the Twin Cities, has been the anchor of the James Carter Organ Trio while also maintaining a busy teaching career. He started out as a vocalist in early childhood, but was soon banging out rhythm patterns on anything he could get his hands on. Soon his parents offered him drum lessons. As a youth he formed the band Leonard King and the Soul Messengers, which performed for ten years. His resume includes work with Donald Byrd, Paquito D'Rivera, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Griffin, David Murray, T-Bone Walker, Bobby Watson, Regina Carter, Herb Ellis, and Alvin Batiste. King heads his own recording company and devotes significant time to jazz education. He is the author of the “Drum Fun and Vocals, Too" program, which he has implemented throughout Minnesota. He continues to tour with James Carter’s ensembles including the Organ Trio. There’s no organ trio working today that can burn faster or hotter or with more conviction than the James Carter Organ Trio. Two sets on Sunday, July 29th at the Dakota! The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Reservations at 612-332-5299 or www.dakotacooks.com. Sets at 7 and 9 pm. |
Twin Cities, MN 
Thursday, 23 May 2013
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